A prominent Black family that has funded scholarships for students at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington for nearly three decades is ending new scholarship awards. The Upperman family’s decision comes after refusing to revise scholarship language tied to African American students. The decision highlights a broader national debate over how universities are adapting donor-funded programs in response to changing policies on diversity, equity and inclusion.
According to WHQR, the Upperman family has decided to stop awarding new scholarships at UNCW. University officials said scholarship language referencing African American students would need to be revised to comply with the UNC System’s updated equality policy. Linda Upperman Smith, daughter of the late physician Dr. Leroy Upperman, said removing references connected to her father’s vision would contradict the purpose of the family’s philanthropy. “There’s no way that we’re going to not follow my father’s wishes for the money to go to an African American student, so we’re not changing the wording,” Upperman Smith told WHQR.
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University officials said the scholarship language conflicted with the UNC System’s equality policy, adopted in 2024. According to UNCW Vice Chancellor for Advancement Eddie Stuart, university attorneys determined that several scholarship agreements containing diversity-related language required revisions to comply with the updated policy.
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The post Black Family Ends UNC Wilmington Scholarship Rather Than Remove Support for Black Students appeared first on American Renaissance.
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